Workshop: Collecting Societies and Music – History, Current Challenges, and Ways Ahead

Collecting societies represent the interests of creatives and exercise their rights. At the same time, collecting societies such as GEMA often appear opaque not only to the music creators but also to the music fans. What is the point of collecting societies, how can their structures and distribution mechanisms be understood from a user perspective?
What about solidarity and distributive justice in a music world in upheaval? What role does technological change play in the aggregation and mediation function of collecting societies?
How have collecting societies grown historically and do they meet the needs of today’s music world?

In brief keynote speeches experts comment on this topic. In the ensuing workshop debate moderated by Detlef Diederichsen (HKW) and Holger Schwetter (TU Dresden), artists, scientists and practitioners will discuss these issues controversially and interdisciplinary.

In 2017 and 2018, the Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG) organises the workshop series Music and Copyright Law in cooperation with the Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW) to discuss the most urgent issues around music and copyright law in the digital society.

Please note that the workshops are not open for public. If you are interested in joining this or another upcoming workshop of the series, please get in touch with Jana Leusing for further details and registration.